My 7 rules for cutting back on social media

In the spirit of a fresh start for the new year I decided to cut back on using social media in January. Scrolling through blogs, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest has an ebb and flow effect on my perspective and creativity. Sometimes I find inspiration and support. At other times I feel the beast of comparison as soon as I open an app and my creativity feels drained as I see someone else’s productivity or smart sense of design. 

Lately social media has been more draining than inspiring and so I’ve implemented some guidelines for cutting back. Usually I regularly check Feedly, Instagram and Facebook multiple times a day and Pinterest about once. I’ve found cutting back on my consumption of social media to be fairly easy when I really set out to do it as long as I have a plan. One thing that I already do that I think helps to cut back is I have all my notifications and emails turned off for social media apps. It’s much easier to ignore something if it’s not flashing and “bing!”ing at you. Previously I’ve also found it very effectively to delete the Facebook app from my phone, although I haven’t done that this time.

Here are the rules for using social media that I’m practicing right now (and mostly keeping up):

1. Don’t check social media first thing in the morning. Such an easy, gross habit to fall into.

2. Don’t check social media at work. It’s so easy to put off writing an un-fun email or starting a new task by just checking Instagram “really quick.” But scrolling leads to thinking of something I need to look up or write down and soon I’ve completely lost my train of thought for the task I actually need to get done. I have much more productive and satisfying work days when I don’t look at social media. 

3. Don’t read blogs. I am very intentional about the blogs that I subscribe to and overall I usually find catching up on blogs to be satisfying but it’s so easy for reading one blog to lead to jumping over to check out someone’s Instagram feed and suddenly be scrolling without purpose.

4. Posting occasionally to Instagram is OK, scrolling is not. I don’t have a problem with capturing and appreciating part of my day and I love the medium of photography. I’ve found that I love looking back at my Instagram feed and being reminded of moments that I might otherwise forget through the years. 

5. Check Facebook and Instagram notifications every other day or so for messages or mentions but no scrolling. We have a Facebook page for The Girl Next Door Podcast and I always want to be responsive to listeners or to anyone trying to get in touch with through social media. I’m able to quickly check notifications, respond if necessary and close the app without scrolling. 

6. Put my phone away in the closet when I’m at home. Out of sight, out of mind. I would highly recommend this to anyone. It feels embarrassingly liberating to not be tethered to my phone and feeling compelled to “check” things all the time. 

And my best tip for cutting back on social media:

7. Always have a good book at hand. This is actually one of my general life rules but I do find that social media is much less tempting if I want to use any spare minute to dive into a book. Currently I’m reading Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari which is funny and interesting and The Engagements, which I’m also enjoying.

 

 

I’d love to know if and how you limit your use of social media!

8 responses to “My 7 rules for cutting back on social media”

  1. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Love these rules. Especially the last one. I read so much more when I am not twitching to check social media! I’ve been taking a break as well (though not from blogs, as you can see). I don’t have a set length of time in mind, but last night I was thinking about checking Instagram, and then I thought, “I actually don’t want to do that.” Now that I am away from compulsive checking I am loving the freedom and time that has opened up.

    Reply
    1. Kelsey Avatar
      Kelsey

      Ah, that’s awesome! I feel the same way! Once you get away from checking so often you have less desire to do so. It does feel like freedom and then I feel silly for feeling freedom from something I opt into…but I guess that’s just life in the age of social media and ubiquitous screens – ? I’m not exactly sure how I want to bring social media back into my life. I do enjoy reading some blogs (including yours!) and seeing Instagram. Perhaps it’s going through who I subscribe to via blogs and Instagram and culling some subscriptions that drive more comparison than inspiration for me.

      Reply
  2. Rachel Cassinat Avatar
    Rachel Cassinat

    I also have felt a little less inspired by social media lately. Something I did a long time ago was put my Facebook app and Instagram app in its own folder, and that folder sits on its own page on my iPhone at the very end of my other apps and folders. Since I have to swipe over a couple times to even get to it, it helps me control the mindless checking and scrolling. I also never downloaded messenger on my phone, so I can’t send or get Facebook messages on my phone. This helps me be more present in real life conversations and if I do get messages I encourage people to text or call me so our conversation isn’t associated with me facebook scrolling!

    I also try to be aware of who I follow. I love following people who post beautiful pictures but also are open about what is easily edited out on social media…it reminds me “oh yeah, we are all humans!”.

    Reply
    1. Kelsey Avatar
      Kelsey

      I love this idea of making apps less accessible. I’ve moved my mail app to a page all on its own on my phone to discourage checking it absent-mindedly. And it does help although once I stop being diligent old habits are easy to fall back into. And also yes! to being really intentional about who I’m following. Ugh I broke down this year and got Messenger but don’t have any notifications and don’t use it much on my phone. I’m still opposed to it in principle and usually try to move conversations elsewhere.

      Reply
  3. Kristy Avatar
    Kristy

    I like the ones about putting your phone in the closet and turning off notifications. Having limited data on my cellphone helps me to cut back on social media use. A lot of the time I need to connect to the wi-fi in order to check so I tend to check less. I also keep my phone in my purse at work rather than on my desk. I got rid of Twitter, cut back on the people I follow on Instagram/blogs, and chopped my friends list on Facebook. I think there may be additional settings on Facebook to control how much of peoples posts you see on your newsfeed. But your no scrolling rule would definitely help with that!

    Reply
    1. Kelsey Avatar
      Kelsey

      I’ve been “unfollowing” people left and right on Facebook to clean up my feed, although taking this break has shown me that I really don’t miss scrolling through my feed. A social media cleanse feels good!

      Reply
  4. Feisty Harriet Avatar
    Feisty Harriet

    I sign out of social media apps when I’m not using them, that way I don’t have a bank of notifications telling me I’m missing things. I sometimes forget to check if I’m not nudged that way through the app notifications, and that has helped me cut down a lot on the scrolling (excellent term, btw).

    xox

    Reply
    1. Kelsey Avatar
      Kelsey

      For sure, notifications are so pushy! And signing all the way out is a great idea. You really have to think about what you are doing to take the time to type out your password, usually it’s not worth the effort!

      Reply

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